Golf ball winding machine



Oct. 4, 1932. c, s, MCCHESNEY 1,880,264

GOLF BALL WINDING MACHINE Filed July 23, 1930 11 Sheets-Sheet l 0a. 4, 1932. c, s, MCCHESNEY 1,880,264

GOLF BALL WINDING MACHINE Fil ed-July 23, 1930 ll Sheets-Sheet 2 GOLF BALL WINDING MACHINE Oct. 4, 1932. c. s. M CHESNEY GOLF BALL WINDING MACHINE Filed July 23, 1930 11 sheets-sheet 4 Ogt. 4, 1932. c. s. McCHESNEY GOLF BALL WINDING MACHINE Filed Juiy 23, 1939 1.1 Sheets- Sheet 5 awuenfoz C'vntni Means-3mm Sam I .lllllllllnlll Oct. 4,-1932. c. s. M CHESNEY GOLF BALL WINDING MACHINE Filed July 23. 1930 11 sheds-sheet 8 v 1 anoenfoz Cums/n7. MUHEJ/VEK fin flame/13o Oct. 4, 1932. c. s. MCCHESNEY 1,880,264

GOLF BALL WINDING MACHINE Filed July 23. 1930 ll Sheets-Sheet 9 i avweutoz l G/mEkJMC'He'J/YEK Gummy 0. s. M CHESNEY GOLF BALL WINDIfiG MACHINE Oct. 4, 1932.

Filed July 23. 1930 11 Sheets-Sheet 10 v gvwemtoz I Oct. 4, 1932. c, s, mc s Y 1,880,264

GOLF BALL WINDING MACHINE Filed July 23, 1930 11 Sheets-Sheet 11 I ,1; a I 1 l I Elvwemtoz C 1 ER J J42: Chasm/1.

Pate ated 4, 1932 UNIT-sot STA ES .pAr-surfoF-ncs I corner. succiihsiniv, OF-KENMORE, new YORK, ASSiGNOR 'ro DUNLOP rum AND RUBBER oonronerron, or BUFFALO, new YORK, a companion or new 1on1:

- eomr NBAIZL wmnme mm Application filed July 28, 1930. Ser1a1 1\o.'469,996.

My present invention relates to a machine for winding a small rubber center with rubber thread to form the body of a golf ball.

The objects of the invention are toprovide a machiile in which a number of balls may be wound simultaneously and'in which the winding of each ball is individually controlled; toprovide mechanisms whereby the rubber thread withwhich the center is-being wound is automatically severed and the winding-stopped when the golf ball has attained v i the required diameter; to provide a multiple 4 winding apparatus in whichthe centers to windingmechanism in which the balls are wound between pairs of eccentrically set -rotating discs driven at difi'erent speeds and in which the driving-of each pair of discs. is pneumatically controlled by the distance apart; of itsrespectivediscs.

r A further :object is to provide a machine,

for winding a soft center or paste center golf ball and in which the initial windings are accomplished with a thread under-a low ten- V -sion or without tension, and in which thetension is automatically increased when the windings have reached a determined diameter. I a

"With these and-other objects in view which ,will appear from the following description,

, the invention comprises the winding machine and mechanisms described in th e following specification.

The various features of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in Fig. 1 is a plan view of a winding machine and control mechanism embodying a preferred form of e invention:

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. '1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevationof the machine ,taken'from the left of Fig. 1.

- Fig. 7 is a vertical elevation partly in secwinding mechanisms. be wound may be individually inserted without interrupting or stopping the winding of other i centers and to provide a multiple Fig.4is a longitudinal sectional view .of-a portion of the machine showing thewinding' dlSC driving mechanism and pneumatic control. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional 'view of a por tion of the machine taken on line 55 of -Fig. 6. Y

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on a horizontal plane through one of the winding elements.

tionof a part of the machine showing the Fig. 8 is avertical sectional view of a por 'tion of the ,machine taken on line 88 of Fig. 6.

' Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a mechanism for separating the winding discs to permit the nal sectional and "face-views of oneof the winding discs.

t Fig. 12 is a diagram of the apparatus. for severing the thread and for controlling the driving of the winding discs.

Figs. 13 .and 14 are, respectively, enlarged detail vertical sectional and elevation views of the thread severinguelements. I

Fig. 15 is a detail sectional view showing the automatic tension control mechanism.

In my invention an end of a rubber thread is attached to asmall rubber center on which it is to be wound and this center is then placed between a pair of spaced discs havlng on their opposite faces complementaryl ing meanswhich permit them to spread apart as the ball and its windings increase in diameter. When the ball has attained the desired. diameter the discs will have been separated to uch a distance as to set into op eration the means for sever-ing the thread and for stopping the further rotation of the individual discs between which the ball is of the thread serves to actuate a pneumatic clutch control means which thereupon disconnects the individual disc driving mechanism from a central or common driving means. The disc may be then separated by a mechanical control mechanism and the wound ball removed and replaced by a new center to be wound. A number of individual winding discs may thus be driven from a common source, each being individually and automatically controlled independently of each of the others.

In the accompanying drawings the invention is illustrated by way of example as applied to a machine having six sets of winding discs and controlling means. It will be understood, however, that any number ofsets winding discs and mechanisms may be employed.

24 to the center on which v theball 25.

' As certain of the elements of each of the winding discs'and driving means therefor are identical, common reference numerals are used in the accompanying drawings for the elements of each set, and the description of one of these winding elements will be sufficient for all.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the sets of winding discs are arranged in two vertical groups of three winding sets each. A small rubber center is placed between a pair of discs 20 and .21 and one end of a rubber thread 22 that is to be wound on the centerisdrawn from a spool'23, then through a tensionmechanism The discs 20 and 21 have a'rubber face 26 having an annular. groove 27 as shown /in detail in Figs. 10 and 11. The faces 26 of the discs 20 and-21 areopposed to each other andthe grooves 27 are so positioned as to be but slightly eccentric one} to the other and to accommodate or receive the center of the ball 25 between the two grooves. The grooves have a radial sectionof a rounded or cir-. oular segment shape.

- The face 26 carrying the'groove 27 0f the winding disc 20 is secured on a back 28 which it is wound to formv .is in turn adjustably mounted en a radial flange29 of-a rotating spindle. or shaft 30. Similarly the disc 21 is mounted on the end flange 31 of a shaft 32. The shafts 30 and 32 are rotated in the same direction thus causing the thread 22 to wind on the ball 25, but are rotated at difierent speeds thus causing the ball to rotate in a directionv other than that of the shafts 30 and 32. T i

',To prevent a steady and uniform turning of the ball 25'in.a direction other than that of the winding on direction, the discs 20 and 21 are adjusted on the flanges 29 and 31 re-' spectively, so that the centers of the grooves '27 are slightly offset or eccentric to each other. For this purpose the flange 29 or 30 is provided with' a diametrical rib 33 which fits into a similar recess in the backing 28, and the backing 28'is secured to the flange 29 by means of screws 34 that pass through.

elongated slots 35 in the flange 29 and thus,

uponbeing loosened, permit the backing 28 to be moved lengthwise of the rib 33 to a desired position and then tightened. As a .result of this eccentricity the ball 25 is not only rotated in a direction to wind the thread 2',

but/is rotated on constantly and erratically shifting axes to distribute the thread uni-.

formly throughout'the surface .of the ball and thus'buildsup an entirely symmetrical spherical winding.

. The shafts 30 and 32 are rotatably and slidably supported in bearings, preferably ball bearings 36, 37 and 38, 39 respectively, ina common frame 40. 'The shafts 30 and 32,

and with them the discs 20 and 21, are pressed f toward each other, sliding in their respective bearings, by aresiliently acting means such as the weight 41 acting throughv a suitable linkage as shown in perspective in Fig.

I pended-by a rod or link 42 from one .arm 43 of a double bell crank lever 44. An arm 45 of the bell crank lever, 44 is connected through a link 46 to one end .of a crank 47 mounted on a cross shaft 48. Also rigidly mounted on the shaft/18 isa yoke 49 having opposed pins ;50 which, as shown in Fig. 6, bear againsta'thrust bearing 51 secured to the shaft 30 by means of a collar 52.

Similarly, a leverarm 53 of the double bell crank is connectedby means of a link 54-to the shaft 32 through ayoke and'a thrust -9. In this mechanism theweight 41is,sus-

crank 44 and onthe opposite'side of the bell bearing,.not shown, similar to that of the shaft 30. As is apparent'from Fig. 9, the weight 41 acts to shift or urgethe, shafts 30 and 32 of the discs 20 and 21 towardeach otherthus holdingthe ball 25 firmly in the space between the grooves 27 of the discs 20 and 21. In order to insert the center between the discs 20 and21 insettingthe machine for operation, the double bell crank lever 44 is rotated against, the action of the weight 41 by means of a pedal 58 which is connected by means of a, link 59 to one end of a fourth arm v 60 of the double bell crank '44. When the pedal 58 is depressedthe double bell crank 44, shaft 56 and yoke 57 are rotated counter clockwise, and the shaft 48 and yoke 49 are rotated clockwise to draw the shafts 30 and- 32 and the discs 20 'and 21 away from each other.- When the center. and its initial windings have been placed between the discs v 20 and 21 the pedal 58 is released and the weighted rotates the shafts and yokes in reverse "direction to press the discs 20 and 21 toward each other. 7 As the diameter of the ball increases, the discs 20 and 21 sep- ,arate proportionately thus rotating the shafts .56 and 46of the double-bell crank 44 to lift the weight 41. The extent of rotation of the shaft'56 and consequently, theextent of the separation of the discs 20 and 21,-is indicated by a pointer 61 secured on the end of the shaft 56 and moving over-a scale 62, Fig. 7.

The rotation of the shafts and 32 of each setof winding discs is driven from a motor 63, Fig; 3, connected through a suitabletransmission mechanism such as a belt or chain 64 to a pulley, sprocket or gear 65 on a main shaft 66, Figs. 3, 4 and 5. Rigidly mounted on the shaft 66 are gears 67,,there being one gear for each vertical tier or row of sets of winding discs. There are thus twogears 68 in the embodiment shown in the v drawings. Each of the gears 67 meshes with and drives the lowermost of a set of gears 68, 'one for each set of winding discs and interconnected by means of intermediate idler pinions 69 set inan extension 7 O of the frame 40. Thus all of the gears 68 re driven si-' multaneously in the-same direction from the common drive shaft 66. The shaft 66 is suitably supported in bearings 71 and 72 mount ed in a web 73 of the frame 40. Each of the gears 68 is rotatably mounted by means of bushings 74 on a shaft 75 that is supported in bearings 76 in the frame 49 and is parallel to the shafts 30 and 32.- There is'one I shaft 75 foreach set of winding discs. The gears 68 are-freely rotatable onand relative to, the shaft 75, but may be rigidly clutched thereto by means .01? a clutch 77 slidably keyed on the shaft 75 and having a clutch d sc 7 8 adapted, to" engage a side face of the gear. 68. -When the clutch 77 is shifted on the shaft 75 to a position to cause the clutch dlsc 78.to engage the gear 68, shaft. 75

of the respective winding setis rotated and driven from the common drive shaft 66 through the gear 67 audits respective drifingg'ear 68. H .h I Keyied onto the shaft 75 are a pair of gears 79 and 80 which'mesh respectively with gears 81 and 82 slidably keyed to the shafts 3Q and 32 respectively jbetween their respective bearings 36, 37 and38, 39. It will thus be apparout that the shafts/30 and 32 are driven in gear 68.

Thereiipon the head 90 and diaphr are moved in a direction away from spective gears 68'by means of a series of 3C retained in position be the same direction from the common'shaft 75. The gear ratios of the gears 79-81 and 80-82 are however, different so that the shafts or spindlgs' 30 or 32 are driven at different speeds. For example, as shown in Fig. 6, the a gear 79 has a smaller diameter than the gear 80 and the gear 81 has alargen diameter than the gear 82 so that the shaft 32 is driven at a greater speed than the shaft 30. The clutch 77 is brought into and out. of 7 engagement with the gear 68 so as-to connect and disconnect the shaft 75 from the gear 68 by pneumatically actuated means. When the clutch is to be moved, tothe right in Fig. 6, to cause its friction disc 78 to engage the side 80 face of the gear 68, air under pressure is admitted from an air valve assembly 83, Fig. 2, there being two such tanks shownin the presentembodiment, through a pipe 84, oneifor each unit and thence through'an individual valve 85, Fig. 12, associated with the tensioning device 24 and a pipe 86 to the outer face w of a diaphragm 87, Figs. 1, 6 and 12. 5The diaphragm is clamped'at its edges between the end of-the frame extension 70 and a cover plate 88 forming withthe latter a narrowchamber 89 in whichthe air received through the pipe 86 is confined. The pressureof the air within the chamber 89 forces the diaphragm 87 in a direction towards its respective clutch and gear 68, that is, towards the right in the position illustrated in Figs. 6 and 12. This thrust of the diaphragm is transmitted through a non-rotating head 90 and through a thrust bearing 91' to the outer. end of the clutch 77. a I The clutch 77 .is thus'moved to bring its friction disc 78 into frictional engagement with the gear '68, thus clutching the latter to the shaft 75. The admission of air under pressure through the pipe .86 to the diaa phragm chamber 89 of. any of theindividual winding units serves to clutch the drivel shaft 75 of such unit to itsrespective driving 7 )10 When the ball 25 has attained the desired size, the valve 85 is closed and a valve 92 is v opened, which connects a branch pipe 93 from the pipe 86 to a 'pipe 94 open to theatmosphere, thereby releasing the'pressure in #15 the pipe. 86 and connecting the respective diaphragm chamber 89 to atmosphere.

springs 95 ,confined between an internal flange 96 of the frame extension 70 and recesses 97 in the head 90. The springs 95 are t ween the recesses 97* and pins 98. projecting thereint o from. the fiange'96. The movement of the head 90 thus relieves the pressure of the clutc'h77 against the gear 68 and disengages the shaft 75- from the latter. 7 I

The position of the valves 85 and 92 is 133 v sion the thread 22 to cause it to wind with .suflicient tightness and tension on the ball 25 controlled by the tensionin device 24 in such a manner that when a ru ber thread 22 is passing under tensio to the ball 25 being wound, it lifts the outer arm 95' of a lever, the other arm 96 of which extends between the opposite ends of valve actuating stems 97 and 98 for the respective valves 85 and 92, as shown in Fig. 12.

Thus when the arm 95' is maintained in its raised position by the tension of the passing thread 22 the opposite arm 96' depresses and opens the valve 85 and closes the valve 92, and when the arm 95 drops, due to the severing of the thread 22, the arm 96' raises the stem 98, opening the valve 92 and permitting the stem 97" to rise and the valve 85 to close.

It will be understood that the proper tenand to maintain the lever arm 95 in raised position may be accomplished by any suitable means. In the embodiment shownin the drawings this is accomplished bypassing the thread from its respective spool 23 through a guiding eyelet 99, Figs. 1, '13 and 14:, thence counter-clockwise about a tensioning drum 100,'then under the outer arm 95 and clockwise about a second tensioning drum 101 and over,a guideplate'102, Fig. 2, to the ball 25. The rotation of the tensioning drums 100and 101 is in each instance retarded by means of a friction disc 102 pressed towards the respective drum 100 or 101 by means of a spring 103 confined between the disc 102 and an adjustable nut 104. Theposition of the nut 104 relative to the disc 102 is adjusted to give any desired pressure by threading in one or the other direction on a I rod 105 extending axially through the drum with the passing thread and heated by an 100 or 101. The severing. of the thread 22 is automatically accomplished, when the ball 25 attains the desired size, by means of an electric heating element 106, Fig. 12,:in contact electric circuit, the closing of which is con trolled by the rotation of the respective yoke shaft 48 or 56 of the individual windingset. The heating element 106 may comprise an exposed wire positioned at any suitable place between the spool 23 and the ball 25, as for example, on the guide plate 102. Current for heating the wire 106 is taken from amain 107 through a branch wire 108 and thence through acm'ercury switch 109 to-a wire 110 connected at its end to the wire/106 and thence returns through a return wire 111 to a return main 112. The mercury switch 109 is mounted on an arm 113-sec ed to a collar 114 which is in turn fixed on t e yoke shaft 48 as indicated in Fig. 9. When the ball 25 is-started and until it attains the desired diameter,'the shaft 48 is in such a position that the ar'm'113 points obliquely downwardly. Consequently the mercury 115 in the switch 109, flowing to the lowermost end, exposes and disconnects the switch when the pressure falls. The ball 25 may then be removed and replaced by a new center and the winding again started. As the new center will have a less diameter than that of the completed ball, the mercury switch 109 will return to open position.

When the tension on the thread ae'lias theends of the wires 108 and 110. h As the ball 25 wire 111 and is connected to and controlled by the pressure in the pipe 86 to open the lever arm 95- andadmits air under pressure to the pipe 86, it again closes thepneumatically operated switch 116 so that the heating element 106 will again sever the thread 22 when the mercoi'd switch 115 is tilted so as to close the circuit.

f When themachine is to be used for winding elastic thread on a soft rubber or paste center the initial windings are done with a thread under a slight or negligible tension in order to prevent the ball from being distorted and becoming non-spherical. These soft or low tension windings are applied until they make the ball hard enough to allow greater tension to be applied without distorting the ball, whereupon the tension on the thread 22 is increased.

In the present invention, as shown in Figs. 7, 14 and 15, this application or increasing of pressure is accomplished automatically when the initial windings have been built up to a determined diameter. This is accomplished in my invention by releasing the tension on the springs 103 during the early partof the winding. The release and application of this tension may be accomplished in any suitable manner under the control of the pointer 61 or other apparatus control by the position of the discs 20 and 21, but it s preferably accomplished by a pneumatic operating means. For this purpose the pneumatlc control valve 117 is so positioned that-lts valve stem 118 is engaged and lifted by con tact with the pointer 61.

When a ball is inserted-between the plates '20 and 21 and the pointer 61 is, therefore, in its uppermost position as shown in dottedlines in Fig. 7, this position of the pointer and of the disc 21 being indicated by B. The

lifting of the valve stem 118 opens communication froman air pipe 119 to an air pipe 120 that leads to a 'small cylinder 121 ad acent the te'nsioning device 100 as indicated in I:

p 1 the tensioning drum 100.

, shaft 48 and yoke 49 clockwise,'and the crank- 55, shaft 56 and yoke 57 counter-clockw1se.

. 5 disc 100. The lever 123 engages a stem 124 extending axially through thetension drum 100 and which in turn engages through slots in the stem or rod 105 the washer 102, thus T relieving the tensionof the spring 103 from The lever arm'1'23 is rigidly mounted on the rock shaft 125 on which is also rigidly mounted a lever arm 126 that engages a similar .stem for the tensioning drum 101. ThlS allows the tension spools l00'and 101 to revolve Q freely and with little or no friction. This In turn releases. considerable tension from the thread 22, but not sufiicient to permit the arm 95 to drop. l-Iowever, when the center go or ball. has attained a diameter su'ificien't to make the ballhard enough so that greater tension may be applied to the thread 22 without distorting the ball, the pointer 61 will have swung downwardly suflicientl tore- 25 lease the valve plunger 118 and close the valve 117. The supply of air is then shut off-from ylinder 121 and the piston 122 being suflicient y small, allows the air to leak out. The spring 103, acting through the pin 124 and the arms 123and 126, pushes the piston 122 back allowing the friction discs 102 to come into contact with the friction drums 100 and 101, thereby applying the correct tension to the thread 22 to give a hard, tight- 1y wound ball. This initial winding thus takes the place of hand winding when a, soft [or paste center is employed. J A In rsum, the gperation is briefly as follows: To insert a center for the ball 25 the operator depressesfthe-pedal 58, Figs. 2, 3 and 9, there y rotating counter-clockwise the arm 60 and with it the arms 43, and 53 of the double bell crank lever, Figs.';7, 8 and 9. Through the links 46 and 54 the arms 45 and 53, respectively, rotate the crank arm 47,

The okes 49 and 57 engage the shafts 30 and 32 through the thrust bearings 51.;and' 52 shaft 32 to .the right. The -ce'nterof the ball 25 is then inserted between'annular I grooves 27 of the discs 20and21-carried by' the shafts 30 and 31 respectively. The pedal 58 is then released 'whereupon the weight 41, Fig. 9, rotates the. lever arms 43, 45, 53 and clockwise and through'the links 46 .and 54and the shafts 48 and 56 and yokes 49'ai1'd 57 shifts theshafts 30 and 32 toward each other thereby elamping or holding the ,ball 25 in the oove 27 between. the plates 20 and 21by pressure of the-weight 41. A

x thread 22isdrawn from the spools23, Fi Z 7 1 and 2, thence through the tensionin ethe tension of the thread lifting the lever arm 95'.

The lifting ofthe outer end of the arm 95' opens the valve 85' Fig. 12 and permits airunder pressure to flow from the an valve assembly 83 through the pipes 84 and 86 to the diaphragm chamber 89, Fi s; 4, 6 and 12.

he pressure shifts the diap ragm'and with a it the head 90 in such a direction as to move the clutch 78 which is geared to the shaft 75, against the face of the gear 68 which, is: driven by a continuously running motor 63 through the chain 64, Fig. 3, gear 65, shaft. 66 and gears 67 and 68. The shaft 75 is thereby placed in rotation and with i-t the gears 7 9, 80 keyed to it. The gears 79 and 80- mesh with the gears 81 and 82 respectively, keyed to the shafts 30 and 32, thereby causing the shafts 30 and 32 to rotate in the. same direction. Thegear ratios of the shafts 79, 85 81 and 80, 82 are different, however, sothat the.,shafts 30 and 32 rotate at slightly dif-- ferent speeds." The plates .20 and 21 are, moreover, mounted slightly eccentrically relative to each other on, the shafts 30 and 32 so that an irregular rotating movement is imparted to the ball 25 in addition to the winding movement. :As the ball .25 increases in ,diameter it moves the shafts 30 and 32 v apart against the pressure of the weight 41. When this displacement reaches a pred; ter mined position the constant tilting. o .the shaft-F48 rotates a mercoid switch 108 mounted on this shaft and closes an electric circuit,

as shown in Fig. 12, through the wires 108 and 111 and through a heatingelement 106 over which the rubber thread 22 passes. v t

The heating of the element 106 severs the thread 22 thus stoppin the further. winding of the ball. It also releases the lifting tension on the arm 95" whichthereupon falls, r' closing the va'lve85 and shutting off the con-( nection of the pipe 86 and diaphra m cham-n.

driving mot6r63. The rotation of the b51125 thereupon ceasesand. it ma' be-remove'd by. f

and thereby'shift the shaft 30 to the left-andconnecting the driving shaft 75 from the depressing the pedal 58 an inserting a new ball described above, 4 'Thepointer-Gl actuates the valve plunger l 118 offFig. 7. t6 open c ommunicat ion jfrom;"- the-air pipe 119 through the ipe. 120 to' the cylinder 121-and to displace t e-p'lu'nger-122 and with it the. friction'washer 102, thereby- 4 relievin 'the'tension from the friction drum v 100. When'the diaineteno f the ball increases *1 :suiiiciently to swing the arm: 61 and valve 1 plun erf118-downwardlyto closetlfe valve 117 t e supply'fof air .is cut off from the cyl-' 55 vices'24, Figs. 1, 2, 13 and 14, to the ba 125, inder1121 and, leakingtherefrom, permits the v tension spring-103 to press the piston 122 reversely and bring the friction washer 102 into frictidnalengagement with the friction drums 100 and 101.respectively, thereby applying tension to the thread 122.

' What I claim is:

'1. A winding machine of the type described comprising a plurality of pairs of discs, the discs of each pairhaving comple mentary annular grooves to receive a ball being wound with thread, a common dr1v1ng means for rotating saiddiscs about their axes,

means for resiliently pressing the discs of each pair towards each other, means individually controlled bythe separation of the discs shafts andv driving gear, a clutch between said driving gear and said common drive shaft, pneumatic means to move said clutch into engaging position to engage said drive shaft to said driving gear, and a valve controlled by .the separation of said discs to a predetermineddistance to release the pressure to said pneumatic'means and to thereby disengage said clutch. v I I 3.. In a windingmachine of the type described a plurality of pairs of discs, the discs 4 of each pair having complementary annular grooves to receive a ball to be wound, shafts in approximate alignment for sup ortlng and rotating said discs on the axis of said grooves, an. individual drive shaft for each of saidpair of discs and its supporting and driving shafts, acommon source of power, individual clutches between said sdurce of power and the drive shafts of said pairs of discs, pneumatic means for clutching said drive shafts individually to said power source, and means to disengage said pneumatic means upon the separation of said discs to a predetermined distance. 7

4. In a winding machine of the typedescribed a pair. of discs having complementary annular grooves to receive a ball, shafts in approximate alignment for supporting and rotating said discs about the axes of said grooves, means for resiliently pressing said shafts and discs towardseach other, thread Y supplying and tensioning means for thread tobe wound on said ball, an'electric heating element in contact with said thread passing I towards saidball, and means actuated byv J5 tbeseparation' of said discs to-a'predetermined distance to close an electric circui through said heating means.

5. In a winding machine of thetype (18-. scribed a pair of discs having complementary annular grooves, means for resiliently pressing said discs toward each other, means for rotating said discs about the axes of said grooves from a drive shaft, a pneumatically controlled clutch for clutching said drive shaft to-a source of power, means for supplying thread under tension to a ball between said complementary annular grooves, a lever tilted by the tension of said thread, control valves for said pneumatic means actuated by the tilt-ing of said lever, and means for automatically severing said thread when said discs become separated to apredetermined distance.

6. A winding apparatus of the'type described which comprises a pair of discs hav- .'ing complementary annular ball holding grooves, approximately aligned shafts supporting saiddiscs, shafts having yokes individually engaging the disc supporting shafts, a lever having crank arms connected to said yoke shafts to rotate said yokeshafts in 0P? poslte directions, a weight ten'ding to rotate said lever and said yoke shafts in-a direction to press said discs and disc supporting shafts toward each other, means to supply thread to a core held between saiddiscs, an electric switch mounted on and rotatable with one of said yoke shafts, and a heating element adj a- -cent said thread and in circuit with said switch whereby said heating element is heatedsufiiciently to sever said thread when said switch is closed.

7. In a winding ,machine of the type described, a pair of winding discs adapted to receive a ball center therebetween, means for rotating said discs to wind a thread upon said centers, and means actuated by the separation of said discs to a determined distance to apply tension to the thread being wound on said center.

8. In a -winding machine of'the type described a pair of winding discs adapted to receivea ball center between them, means for rotatlng said discs to wind a thread upon said centers, means for tensioning the thread sup v plled to said center and means for releasing the tension on said thread until saiddiscs are separated to a determined distance.

9. In a windin machine of the type described a pair of discs having complementary annular grooves, the radial section of said grooves being in the form of a segment of a circle, and means foi rotating said discs about the axes of their respective'annular grooves and for supporting said discs with said axes slightly out of alignment and wholly within the inner periphery of the groove of the oposite disc and with the axes of said discs in ed position. l 10. In a winding machine of the type described a pair of discs having complementary annular grooves, the radial section of said grooves being in the form of a segment of a circle,- means for rotating said discs about the aXes of their respective annular grooves and for supporting said discs with said axes out a of alignment, and means for adjustin the distances between the axes of rotation 0 said discs' In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name. 7

CUYLER S. MCCHESNEY. 

